[Inclosure in Mr. Stevens’s No 2
bis.]
Mr. Merrill then presented to the King his excellency John L.
Stevens, who addressed His Majesty in the following words:
“May it please Your
Majesty:
“Sire: In presenting to His
Majesty my letters of credence he will allow me to say
that it is with an experience of pleasure that I am
permitted to be the medium of communicating to him the
good wishes of the President of the United States and of
the sixty-five millions of people whom he ably and
faithfully represents. It is in the spirit of
international fraternity, which has greatly increased in
force and elevation in recent times, that I am sent as
the American agent to His Majesty’s Government and to
reside among the people of these beautiful islands, a
cluster of gems in the Pacific Sea. It is proper for me
to say, what His Majesty and Government well understand,
that the Government and people of the United States
cherish a deep interest in the prosperity and welfare of
the Hawaiian Islands, so smiled upon by nature and so
important to the future commerce and civilization of the
countries contiguous to the Pacific.
“Your autonomy secured by the good will of the great
nations, all true statesmen and generous citizens of
other lands must wish that your Government may be
successful in securing order, prosperity, and happiness
to all your people. Though separated by a thousand miles
of ocean, the United States and the Hawaiian Kingdom
make a part of the new world, whose reciprocal interests
of commerce tend to unity and to all that is liberal in
policy and beneficent in the arts of peace. If my
residence among you shall in any way conduce to these
pacific and desirable ends, it will be my good fortune
to faithfully represent the wishes of the people and
Government of the great American nation.”
[Page 292]
The following is a copy of the autograph letter from the
President of the United States to His Majesty presented by his
excellency John L. Stevens:
Benjamin Harrison,
President of the United States of America, to His
Majesty Kalakaua, King of the Hawaiian
Islands.
Great and Good
Friend:
I have made choice of John L. Stevens, one of our
distinguished citizens to reside near the Government of
Your Majesty in the quality of minister resident of the
United States of America. He is well informed of the
relative interests of the two countries and of our
sincere desire to cultivate to the fullest extent the
friendship which has so long subsisted between us. My
knowledge of his high character and ability gives me
entire confidence that he will constantly endeavor to
advance the interest and prosperity of both Governments
and so render himself acceptable to Your Majesty.
I therefore request Your Majesty to receive him favorably
and to give full credence to what he shall say on the
part of the United States, and to the assurances which I
have charged him to convey to you of the best wishes of
this Government for the prosperity of the Hawaiian
Islands.
May God have Your Majesty in His wise keeping.
Written at Washington, the 26th day of June, in the year
1889.
Your good friend,
Benj.
Harrison.
By the President:
James G. Blaine,
Secretary of State.
His Majesty replied to Mr. Stevens, as follows:
“Mr. Minister: It is with pleasure that
I receive from you the assurance of the continuance of the
friendly regard of the President and the people of the American
nation for the Sovereign and people of Hawaii.
“And I am well pleased to welcome to a residence in my kingdom a
gentleman who is the choice of my great and good friend,
President Harrison, as the representative of the American
Government and people.
“The officers of my Government will be instructed to tender to
you every attention and courtesy during your official residence
in my dominions.”
His Majesty was attended on this occasion by the Hon. A. S.
Cleghorn, H. R. H. Prince Kawananakoa, His Excellency Hon. Jona.
Austin, minister of foreign affairs; James W. Robertson, esq.,
His Majesty’s vice and acting chamberlain; Col. the Hon. Robert
Hoapili Baker, A. D. C; Maj. John Dominis Holt, A. D. C, and
Capt. the Hon. E. K. Lilikalani, equerry in waiting.
